


A Lonely Heart is Never Fun

by nocturnalSpectrum



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Angst, Eventually Fluff anyway because it's an attempted slow burn so the start is very sad, Fluff, Glanni will eventually have an active role in this fic, HalfFae!Robbie, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, The kids might show up but they aren't centric to the story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-09 19:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8908495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nocturnalSpectrum/pseuds/nocturnalSpectrum
Summary: Robbie Rotten doesn't have full control over his emotions or the needs of his heart. It causes him endless pain and annoyance but what if he could control his own emotions? What if he could escape his inner torment? To finally be at peace within himself? If it's possible he's hellbent on trying.





	1. Full of Longing

Robbie Rotten sat leaned up against the back of his billboard and stared up at the small glittering stars. It was a relatively peaceful night that wasn’t all that cold even if autumn would soon fall to winter. He exhaled a small cloud of air watching it slowly drift up and away from himself. He wasn't all that cold but he felt numb.   
  
He scowled suddenly, "What am I even doing out here! I should be sleeping! Or off figuring out my next scheme to get that flippy elf out of here!" He flourished his statement with a wave of his arms only to drop them back down beside himself as all life left them and without feeling he sighed.  
  
He stared up at the sky and returned his face to a neutral expression. He was tired, so very tired. He watched the stars twinkle far above him and found himself wondering when it happened. When he lost all his energy, when he got so tired that sleeping stopped helping. Of course this problem could be temporarily fixed by eating more sugar but that wouldn’t last all that long. It always creeped back on him when he wasn't paying attention. It just made his eventual crashes worse, he scoffed wondering if eating the sugar to begin with was even worth it.   
  
He wanted to sleep.  
He flopped his arm upwards in a halfhearted attempt at getting up and when his position didn't change he sighed deeply and sunk lower against the billboard. He didn’t feel much like moving.  No he was far too tired for any sort of exhausting activity. His back began to cramp in his new position but that was never new.   
  
His eyes drifted upwards again as the stars shined and sparkled out of reach. He wondered if Sportacus ever got tired. Robbie scoffed, "Of course that Sportadork never gets tired, it’s like he runs off air and it’s not like THAT is going to run out anytime soon." He paused rigidly with a sneer for half a second before he relaxed with a huff, "No. That would kill me."  
  
He sat quietly for a few minutes longer staring longingly at the sky. A fierce longing bloomed in his chest and it startled him into half sitting up again. It came back he grimaced, It always came back. Especially when he was perfectly happy to just sit around. It was a feeling that always started out so small but hastily grew into a soul deep yearning. It hurt. It was like a pit that could never be filled and it ached so terribly. Robbie closed his eyes and tried to push it back down back to where he couldn't feel it. Back to the dark voids of his heart. His throat tightened as if there was a pressure that pushed at the air in his lungs and after a moment he was sure he put it back where it belonged.  
  
A small oh escaped him when the emptiness came back and felt like there should have been a big hole in his chest.  
He felt near his heart to make sure there wasn't actually a hole. He felt horrible.   
  
He pulled a tense face, if he was a poet he’d say that his heart was crying out with a single strangled note for someone, anyone to hear it. That blasted hole had always been there, he was hard pressed to think of a time when it wasn't but it really only got worse with every day that passed. He felt like it could eat him whole and leave nothing left in its wake. It was what kept him awake and he hated it. If it was going to consume him it should just get on with it already. He was too impatient for this sort of anxiety.   
  
With an angry snort he stubbornly refused to admit to the feeling eating at him and crossed his arms across his chest but the thought flitted across his mind all the same.  
In his heart of hearts, Robbie Rotten was- NOT lonely. He amended it as he thought it with a growl, “I AM NOT LONELY! I HAVE NEVER BEEN LONELY AND THEREFORE I SHOULDN’T FEEL THIS WAY!”  
  
He tightened his crossed arms scowling harder up at the stars. He tried to stomp the feeling down again and make it go away. He was having a perfectly peaceful night and it should just go away. But it refused to be quieted. It called out with an angry fierceness and caused his breath to hitch in his throat.  
  
He curled in on himself a little and muttered with a small voice, “I.. am not lonely.” His chest tightened and he wished he could feel numb again. It hurt and he just wanted the pain to stop. He wanted for it to go away and to leave him be. His fingers tightened around his sides and a small sniffle left him.   
  
A creak sounded above him and he whipped his head up to stare. Sportacus was crouching on top of his billboard. He looked like someone kicked his do- how did he even get up there.   
  
Robbie squinted his burning eyes up at Sportacus, "What are YOU doing here."  
  
“Oh, Uh I.. Robbie. Are you okay?” Sportacus tilted his head and lightly touched his emblem with one hand, “I got a call and I overheard you talking.” His eyes looked so sad.   
  
Robbie’s eyes flew open from their suspicious glare and he scrambled for his lair door. His face heated up with embarrassment with every second that passed.   
  
“Robbie wait!” Sportacus twirled down with a somersault and landed near him, “It’s okay to feel lonely!”  
  
Robbie jerked to a stop with the pipe’s handle firmly in his hands. He lifted his head to the stars stubbornly and declared, “I am NOT lonely. There’s no one here to help!” He couldn’t turn around, his heart pounded in his chest and his eyes were wide with loneliness.  
  
Sportacus stepped forward and gently touched Robbie’s elbow, he shivered, “Robbie.. it’s okay. Everyone gets lonely, it’s perfectly natural to want to connect with others.” He slowly pulled Robbie’s elbow back to spin the tall man to face him somewhat and stared seriously into his eyes, “If you ever want to talk about anything you can always call on me.”    
  
Robbie turned his head sharply away from those sincere eyes, “Well that’s all well and fine SportaDOOP but like I said! I am NOT lonely! Your crystal blinker must be on the fritz! Now Go away. I have much to do and I can’t have you hovering around up here!” Robbie violently pulled his elbow away and turned back around to pull at the unlocked hatch.   
  
He strained and pulled with a grunt of effort making slow progress. He was too tired for this sort of workout.  
  
Sportacus hovered behind him uncertainly before a small sigh escaped him.  
“Okay Robbie If you are sure. I will leave but please remember that I am here for you and you can always come to me.” Sportacus said with a sad frown, not that Robbie had looked, only he had and his heart did a sharp flop to his stomach. Sportacus never frowned. Ever. He felt horrible for causing it.  
  
He quickly turned away again before nearly falling backwards when the hatch suddenly opened.  
Robbie glanced to his left where Sportacus had lifted it open with a sad smile.   
  
“Good Night Robbie.”   
  
Robbie huffed and quickly climbed in before giving Sportacus a quick sneer laced with badly hidden desolation, “Good Night!”   
  
Robbie pulled the hatch shut and watched as Sportacus become quickly obscured from his view. He swallowed roughly and stood there on his ladder with one hand on the hatch roof. His heart pounded ever harder.   
  
Why couldn’t he just make things easy on himself?   
Robbie Rotten thunked his head against the side of the pipe and let out a long lonely sigh. He had alerted Sportacus. He needed a better way to make this loneliness go away before he had that damn blue elf breaking his way into his home or worse, refusing to go away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how many chapters this will end up with but probably at least 3 or 4. I originally wrote this on tumblr with plans to upload it here after I finished the entire thing but after some encouraging I decided to fix up the first chapter, finish the second chapter and upload both here just to keep them in one place. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it, I like slow burns and here's hoping I can write something like that?  
> I haven't written a proper story in a while so wish me luck! 
> 
> If you see any errors or typos let me know, I re-read it but sometimes things escape me or I accidently switch tenses.  
> Let me know what you all think yeah?


	2. A Flooding Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UH, this chapter was supposed to have some sort of happiness comfort in it but I couldn't make it fit. I did try, and try but this is how the story wants to be. I couldn't convince it otherwise. I'm sorry guys, I guess prepare yourself for a bit of a sad ride? I'm not even sure if I wrote it good enough to be honest, but I tried. Nothing more I can do but try. I might rework Robbie's speech a bit later on because some of it didn't quite sound right to me.
> 
> I don't really want to spoil anything but I guess I should put a tag for this chapter.  
> Water lots of water and not in a pleasant 'I can breathe' way. 
> 
> If you guys see any grammer or spelling errors please let me know, I re-read it twice but it's like 6 am and I haven't slept yet.  
> Thank you so much for reading my story! I hope you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!  
> It really helps motivate it and I love seeing all the comments no matter how long they are!!

Robbie sat rigidly in his chair for what felt like hours as he glared at the chute that led above ground, "I'm not Lonely. No way. No How."  
He crossed his legs impatiently, "I can even prove it! I'm so not lonely that I will not go outside for a week- No A Month!"  
He sat up triumphantly with a terrible smirk, "That'll show that Sportadork who's lonely! HA"   
  
His foot tapped as he tried to appear comfortable. He changed positions, sleep would come soon if he just found the right position. He tossed and turned a few times before flipping himself sideways, "I could sleep if it wasn't for all this silence! If this lasts any longer it's going to choke me!"  
  
Robbie swiftly stood up but a wave of nausea caused him to stumble back down into his chair. He sunk low as he waited for the feeling to pass, it really was one of the worse side effects to staying awake for so long. Minutes ticked by as he clamped his hand around his mouth unwilling to go running for the bathroom that was on the other side of his lair. His eyes were screwed tight and he sat unmoving until it quieted itself down with a sigh he removed his hand. He wished it would go away but this was the best he could hope for.  
  
He got up more slowly this time and looked around his home, "Well of course I can't sleep it's far too quiet and should never have been this quiet to begin with!"   
  
He angrily shuffled over to a few of his machines that sat against the closest wall. "One of you are to blame! and I am determined to find out who!" He growled nastily at them.   
  
Robbie scowled at his inventions, they were mostly useless but a few of them were harmless enough that turning them on didn't do much. Looking at them now he could barely remember what they had even been for. He nudged one with his foot as he mused its purpose. This one might have been to warm his lair but it only made the air unbreathable with heat. He carefully moved it away from the pile so he wouldn't accidently turn it on. He didn't need a repeat of that week, no matter how cold it got.  
  
After giving it a tired glare he looked back at the pile, What was it that he usually had on? Robbie pinched the bridge of his nose, his mind felt like cotton. He was too tired for this. Without a second thought he kicked on a few of the machines and walked back to his chair. It was risky and careless but he didn't care at this point. A small symphony of dull whirring noises filled his lair. "That's better! Now I can finally go to sleep!" Robbie breathed a sigh of relief that the suffocating silence was replaced by the gentle dull noise. Truly the only noise he could sleep to.   
  
With a second of exaggerated mock stretching he dumped himself back into his chair and readied himself for the luxury of sleep. Just a second more and he would be asleep. He stared at the back of his eyelids and watched the patterns dance in the dark for a few minutes. Nada. He sighed exasperated and started to tap his foot.  
  
He wasn't even thinking of anything, why wasn't he sleeping now! He solved the problem! It was too quiet and now it wasn't! There was noise! He should be sleeping now! There was absolutely no reason to stay awake and put up with the dull ache behind his eyes and the sick flipping of his stomach. Just sleep, just go to sleep. No one else had trouble sleeping so why did he. Why did he have to put up with something like this. He groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. It felt useless just like everything else he did everything was useless. 

Robbie removed his hands from his face,"Did Sportacus really mean it when he said  _I_ could call on  _him?_ " He stared at the chute, "No. He must have just been saying that. Some lie to get away from me. Some  _feel good_ saying that means nothing!? What does 'calling on him' really mean anyway! It's vague much too vague to mean anything! What would I even call on him for?!"   
  
Robbie stood up and began to pace ignoring the sick feeling that washed over him,"Oh Sportacus!" He pitched his voice pleadingly and exaggerated his motions, "Oh would you please come and keep me company! Bleh! As if! That couldn't have been what he meant anyway! He wouldn't want to keep someone like me company anyway,  _I_ wouldn't want to keep someone like me company."  
  
Robbie quickly made a face and turned away from the wall he had been staring at. What did Sportacus want from him, he had nothing to give other than traps and schemes. There was no way he meant for Robbie to actually call on him.  
  
A sick uncertainty bloomed in his chest and he scrunched his face up, "Sportacus did say to call, whenever I wanted to  _talk._ But really that could mean anything! There's no way that I can talk about  _sports_. No matter how much _Sportacus_ likes them. The very thought of sports already has me tired and sweaty! ELUCK No-Thank-you!" He shivered at the revolting thought. No he would not be calling on Sportacus to talk about  _sports_ or whatever he meant by he was  _here_   _for him_.   
  
He was  _Here_ because of the brats and for the brats, and only for the brats. Not him. His heart tipped sadly sideways and he frowned, "I can't wish for that type of thing. There is no way Sportadisc and I could ever be friends! Stop that train of thought here and now!" He wiped his hands together in a motion of finality. Only, it wasn't as final as he had hoped.   
  
That traitorous part of himself wanted to be friends, he wanted to call on Sportacus for absolutely no reason at all. Nausea crashed through him when he tried to deny the thoughts and his stomach twisted itself in a brand new hateful way. He fell into a crouch desperately hoping the feeling would pass, he didn't want to clean up a mess. His head hung lowly as the taste of bile rose up his throat. He knew that it wouldn't go away, with nothing else to do he slowly inched his way towards his bathroom. Sleep wouldn't be possible, not down there, not with these thoughts,  not with his body rebelling on him at every turn.   
  
It would be another sleepless day but maybe he could catch a nap somewhere above ground later on. He placed his hand on the edge of his bathtub enjoying the coolness of the porcelain. He laid his head softly beside it, it was a blessing his lair had made the tub basically a block of ice.  
  
"No. I just need to work on something." He murmured softly, "There's no  _need_ to go outside and see that Sportacus or those bratty children. I am fine all on my own!" He groaned and put his head back down regretting his raised voice. He had everything he needed down here. His chair and his machines. There was nothing else that mattered.   
  
  
Robbie jolted up from where he had passed out against his bathtub and had to wipe the drool from his mouth. He had fallen asleep at some point but the way his eyes burned told him that he hadn't been asleep for long. His lair was alive with laughter, just when his dream of the perfect cake was getting good those noisy children just had to wake him up. He scrunched up his nose and stormed over to his periscope, what were they even doing to warrant this level of noise?   
  
"Tag. Of course they're playing Tag. When did _Tag_ get so noisy! Those brats certainly are special to make it so much louder than it needs to be!" Robbie growled and stepped away from the periscope as he shoved it to the side, " They should be inside doing something quiet away from the roof of my lair!" He tapped his chin as he paced, "They need to be distracted. Something that'll make them go away for some time. Something like... AH HA! I know just the thing! Now what I need is a disguise! Something that'll make me look Official!"   
  
He excitedly jaunted over to his costumes but crashed to a stop,"I can't go out. They'll recognize me eventually and then it'll show that Sportapple right! He'll see me!" Robbie hissed at the thought as he remembered his promise to himself that he wouldn't go outside for a month. "Maybe if my disguise doesn't fall off I can avoid that altogether... but when does anything turn out right for me!" He glowered up at the roof, "I'll just  _put up_ with those noisy children! I'll _have_ to." He sounded weak to his own ears. 

Robbie ignored the lump in his throat and grabbed his most padded noise blocking headphones to put on. It was going to be a very long month and he didn't look forward to it one bit.    
  
  
It was three days later when he got the idea.

He didn't pause to consider if it was a good idea or not as he quickly sprang up from his orange chair. He grinned in joy at his solution to this detestable hollowness.

"If I build this I will never have to be at the mercy of any emotion! And I will be perfectly content without any of them!! I will never feel that blasted pain again!"

Excitement pounded through his blood as he set himself to work as fast as his hands would go. "It's so perfect! My newest invention will lock up these despicable emotions in an easy little cube and  then I can take them and put them somewhere! Somewhere Far far from me and anywhere I will ever be!" he cackled and paused to consider if there was somewhere he could ship them in the mail that wouldn't just send them back to him.

He shivered as a heaviness settled in his chest at the idea of mailing them away, "WELL why shouldn't I! It's not like they've done anything for me lately! I won't be needing them again so what if I ship them away?" His words died down and a dark silence settled in the lair as he looked at his beautiful machine.

"HA! I will bury them! No one will be able to find them again!" The heaviness abated somewhat and he set upon his work with renewed vigor.

The nights quickly blended together into days and Robbie had fallen asleep at his workbench again. He jerked out of his rest when his ceiling began to clang loudly. Robbie groaned and dragged his hands over his face, "What are those children doing to be so NOISY!" He growled. All the pipes were clattering, "What are they even doing?! Running a bulldozer across the playground?!"

He couldn't concentrate with this new terrible horrible noise. Idly he scratched an annoying itch on his back as he pulled down his periscope looking for the source of the annoyance.  
The children were, strangely nowhere to be seen in fact it was probably still too early for them to even be out. He twisted the periscope left and right ready to see the source but an empty park was revealed. He pulled away from the scope and looked up where the clanging was still loudly echoing through his lair.

His mouth twisted and he stared up at his ceiling. It had never done that before. Worry wormed its way into his guy and he scratched at his back a little more,"... Do I even OWN a ladder that high? I am _not_ a plummer." He glanced around his lair, "Maybe if I just hit it a few times."

He picked up a wrench and tried to gauge how hard to throw. It was a little wrench so it'd be easy to toss even with his, limited strength. "This should do it!" He pulled back his arm and threw the wrench up at the ceiling where it flew fast and hard into the pipes. The wrench clanged loudly and fell somewhere a few feet from Robbie. The pipes were quiet and he straightened himself out with a tug of his vest with a smirk," Of course that wou-" The pipes above him rumbled with a ugly noisy and the screech of metal on metal filled the lair like a waking dragon. His heart dropped into his stomach and with a vividness he realised that he had done something very very Very bad. With a sickly fear he felt his blood run cold.

He scrambled away from the center of his floor in a mad dash of flailed limbs for his work bench where his extremely important machine sat partly finished. He couldn't let it get wet, all his hard work, there was no way he could replicate what he had already done. With a agonising screech a pipe swung down with a cascade of water that drenched his chair and began to fill his home with water.

He slipped slightly when the water washed against his ankles and his hands shook as he gathered the tools he had been working with. There wasn't time to save anything else. His heart pounded in his chest on the verge of panic that he was trying to push back down. If he panicked now he'd be done for but his fear threatened to choke him, "I can't even swim." He hoarsely whispered in horror as he situation started to descend on him. 

Swallowing thickly he tried to shake the thoughts away and hoisted the small machine and his packet of tools off the bench. He looked around for the best escape route. There were many exits from his lair but the closest was the one that went directly to one of his favourite benches outside the park.

It wouldn't drain his lair like some other doorways but it would get him out. The water had risen to his calves while he had been lost in his thoughts, there wasn't time for this. He shook his head again and walked as fast as he could through the water. It both pushed and pulled him as he sloshed down the hallway. He didn't know if he could save his newest invention from it as it rose ever higher.

He was halfway down the hallway when the water washed over him in a small wave. Another pipe must have fallen down to join the first. The wave nearly pushed him over but he steadied himself by leaning on the wall. The water reached his waist now. There was supposed to be a drain somewhere that should have prevented this. What was it doing, Robbie shook in fear and cold. He tried to quicken his pace when the ladder came into view. He swallowed as he started to climb it. His invention was heavy and his arms shook with the effort it took to keep it from dropping.

His face was red and he was wheezing from the speed he was climbing with. His waterlogged clothes were freezing him and weighing him down. He didn't think this through, why did he never think anything through! He was angry at himself for being so narrow minded in his plans. Climbing a ladder with a medium sized machine on his chest was more than difficult on any normal day but near impossible after being soaked to his bones. Especially with the water bubbling up from below him. His heart beat loudly in his ears the roar of the water became background noise. Sweat rolled down his back and his vision darkened until it was only him and the top of the hole he was in.

Time lasted forever and not nearly long enough, the rushing of the water turned into static and he was sure that his arms would fail him and he'd fall into the icy cold water below him. Until he was at the top and the manhole was thrown to the side by his own shaky arms. His machine made it to the surface with very little water damage. He choked out a surprised laugh that turned into a cry of alarm when his foot slipped and he fell into the water below.

Robbie flailed when he began to sink into the water and his heart burst into full panic. He couldn't swim, who could swim, why would he have even needed to swim, this should have never happened. The cold certainty that he was going to die clawed at his lungs, the pin prick of light that was the exit so far above him slowly grew dimmer.

It was cold. His limbs ached with cold as it leeched away what little heat he had. He knew that his breath wouldn't hold out for long, would anyone find him? Surely they'd notice the overflow of water from below. Surely Sportacus would notice.

Wouldn't he?

His lungs burned and he wished harder than he ever had for Sportacus to find him. His vision grew dark as he lost feeling in his body. At least it was quiet, he thought with a sad finality.

The world blared into colour as he hacked up water. The ground was solid under him and there was a small block of warmth on his back. Robbie coughed for what felt like hours. He breathed heavily with his forehead resting against the wet ground. He was tired and cold. 

He vaguely heard a voice somewhere above him but he didn't have the focus to make out the words. He was shifted up and someone was trying to talk to him, they sounded worried. He tried to make a sound but it only ended up as a weak exhale of air. His consciousness began to fade and though the voice started to sound panicked he couldn't hold onto it. He slipped into a dreamless state of exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ART HAS BEEN MADE!!!  
> [LetsRevItUp](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/) Made [this Really Cool Picture for this chapter!! ](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/post/155064827520/i-drew-a-quick-thing-for-skyshimmers-lovely)
> 
> You All should have a look at it!! Because it's so lovely!! And I love it! Yes Yes!!   
> Thank you for creating this artwork for my fanfiction!! My heart is just so warm and happy because of it! ; V ;   
> This was really cool to see!! It really made my day!!


	3. Might be Hard to Hold onto Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Firstly:** Thank you everyone for coming back to enjoy this next chapter! I hope you like it, it's a bit short but I tried really hard! I have a little bit of plot in this chapter so hopefully we get on that quickly. I changed the idea of what's going to happen but trust me this is a bit more interesting! hopefully anyway. 
> 
> **Secondly:** Check out this beautiful piece of art that [LetsRevItUp](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/) Made [For the second chapter! So cool!!](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/post/155064827520/i-drew-a-quick-thing-for-skyshimmers-lovely)
> 
> **Thirdly:**  
>  I based this chapter on my own experiences with being sick. I don't know why it happens but I hope I explained it well enough that, uh, it isn't too weird? Let me know. I don't have the best track record with getting back to people but I'm trying to be better at that. 
> 
> I was hoping to make the chapter longer but it felt like where I cut it off was a good spot.  
> I'm not actually sure how many chapters there will be, but I'll just keep adding more as I go I guess.  
> I just don't like having that question mark there, it just feels too uncertain.

Robbie felt like he was floating in a golden stream of sunlight. Even though it was bright, It was warm and the light was soft against his skin. It was nice and he couldn’t help but feel content. He couldn’t remember how he got there or where he was headed but for now he was happy to just drift along the stream and see where it went. He was comfortable and there was no reason to rush anywhere because this was where he was meant to be.   
  
As he drifted closer to one of the edges of the stream an angry voice hissed out at him from below.  
“ _You **can’t**. _ ” The stream got terribly cold, “ _I am **not** done with you_.” Nails clawed deeply into his back as he was pulled under into the icy waters below.   
  
Terror seized his lungs as he sputtered to breathe and escape the thing that was dragging him deeper.  And deeper. And deeper. The sunlight was soon consumed by the cold dark and pain was soon remembered.  
  
He cried out as the cold and pain became unbearable and was softly shushed by a murmuring voice. Warm hands were on his face and he could distantly feel himself pulled into a hug. His eyes were so heavy, too heavy to even attempt to open. He allowed himself to be limply maneuvered as time passed softly with the murmuring voice and its gentle hands.  
  
  


Robbie's mind next faded into existence through a curtain of cotton. He felt mildly disappointed as his mind slowly put itself together. He had been having such a nice dream that he had been hoping was his reality. But he was far too comfortable to wake up now and besides he was still so tired.. He decided with a small thought to go back to sleep because there was little reason for him to actually wake up. Why should he waste all that effort for nothing when sleep was just so much easier.  
  
He curled pleasantly around the warmth next to him and thought idly to himself that maybe this time, he wouldn't wake up and he'd be able to stay in his world of dreams. A faint smile pulled at his lips as his mind dipped itself back downwards towards the pleasantness of sleep.

  
  
Robbie felt hot, clammy and disgusting. The blankets were trying to strangle him and bound his arms tightly to his torso. He fluttered his eyes open with a confused sneer, why was he sweating? His lair never got hot enough for him to actually sweat. He felt like he was trying to wrestle mud as his mind attempted to make sense of where he was. It was a long few minutes of trying to make the world stop shifting into different colours and places. He squeezed his eyes shut again and took a ragged breath.  
  
The world wasn't making sense. To breathe he needed to wiggle his ears but some part of his mind told him that didn't make sense and it wasn't true. But he still felt the need to do it, he didn't want to take the chance that he might actually need to. His throat was scratchy and although he was wiggling his ears. It was still difficult to breathe deeply. He struggled to free himself from the blanket. If he wasn’t free then how was he suppose to put the world back together the way it was supposed to be? No one could live in the world if it kept changing itself every few seconds. He just needed to spin the wheel in his mind a few times to stop it but he needed his hands for that…  
  
He paused. That didn't make sense either.  
  
He tried to take a deep breath but it rattled his lungs. He had to put his mind back together. He was.. in a bed. Wrapped in a blanket... warm.. too warm.. he couldn't even kick his feet out. He felt trapped. It was too much, he suddenly needed it to stop touching him. He flailed horribly with an angry shout that sent him tumbling off the side of the small bed. Or it would have if not for the strong pair of arms that reached out and grabbed the blanket to haul him back up.  
  
"Robbie? Are you okay?"  
  
He didn't care to answer because he was still trapped and it was still too much, his lungs refused to work, he struggled.  
  
"Robbie it's okay. Calm down. Are you stuck? Hold on"  
  
The unyielding blanket was gently untangled from him by the other person and suddenly he could breathe again. He shivered slightly when the cooler air met his clammy skin. He continued to wiggle his ears slowly and exhaustedly looked over at the person who freed him.  
  
It was Sportacus. He breathed out slowly as he stared at the hero. He was sitting on the edge of the bed looking concerned if a little amused. He looked tired like he hasn't slept, Robbie tried to grimace, "...what are you... smirking about?" He was still so tired. The world was still shifting around him slowly. He tried to focus on Sportacus instead, at least he wasn’t moving.  
  
Sportacus turned away to grab something but looked like he was trying to hide a larger smile. Sportacus swiped his hand over his eyes and started grab something beside the bed. Robbie frowned deeply but let his eyes unfocus. It was just too much work trying to keep his them focused when everything was still changing. He closed them briefly as his mind slowly floated away from his burning body.  
  
"Can you sit up? I have some water for you to drink, you’ve been out for awhile." Sportacus' concerned voice drifted back to him and he considered the request. He couldn’t call his mind back but he could probably sit up all the same. But, his limbs felt heavy and he was starting to feel comfortable now. His distant mind considered ignoring the question. Maybe if Sportacus thought he was sleeping then he wouldn't bother him.  
  
"Robbie?"  
  
“The world doesn’t make sense.” Robbie mumbled before throwing an arm over his face and held onto the sheets as the sensation of falling started to drag the world downwards.  
  
Sportacus didn’t respond right away but when he did he spoke carefully, “What do you mean Robbie?”  
  
Robbie let loose an exasperated noise and glanced at Sportacus from under his arm, “It keeps changing. Nothing is staying the _same_ First everything is white and then there are invisible gears in the air that need _me_ to spin them! IT Just- It just doesn’t make sense. Everything keeps spinning..” He knew it didn’t make sense, but he was hot and tired and he wouldn’t be able to sleep until those gears can safely spin on their own. "It's...annoying."   
  
The feeling of falling worsened and he felt like he was falling ever faster from somewhere very high up. Robbie gripped the sheets a little tighter in an attempt to hold on.

Sportacus sounded concerned as he leaned on the bed a little more, ”Robbie, nothing is spinning..” Sportacus slowly reached out and felt Robbie’s forehead, “Do... fevers often do this to you?”  
  
Robbie couldn’t respond. It felt like the world was syncing itself to Sportacus’ cooler hand and everything started to fall back into place, “Oh.” he breathed almost giddily, “It stopped. You stopped it.” He started up at Sportacus with an expression of awe.  
  
Sportacus wore a half grin that looked more confused than anything, “I still have your water. Can you drink?” He moved to take his hand away but Robbie quickly grabbed it.  
  
“Don’t let go. I’ll fall.” he whispered with a small tremor of fear, “I don’t like falling.”  
  
Sportacus laced his fingers with Robbie’s and held tightly, “I won’t let go.”  
  
Robbie breathed out slowly in relief and tightened his grip on Sportacus.  
Exhaustion hit him then and he felt his mind drift further from his body. He closed his eyes and let himself drift. Sportacus had him anchored so he knew he wouldn’t lose his way back.    
  
Numbly he felt Sportacus lift him and place the glass of water to his lips. He drank but slowly became less aware of it as his mind faded out into a feverish sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think so far!! I thrive off comments!


	4. Softly Drifting in a Dream of a Memory

He’s dreaming now, or remembering. Robbie isn’t certain which it is but he remembers these woods. Old trees taller and more vibrant than the sky with leaves that glittered like emeralds. There were so many different flowers and clovers and he was surrounded by them. He felt safe, it felt like home. He breathed in the scent of the forest deeply and tried to flatten himself on the cool ground. 

  
The sunshine felt wonderful on his skin and he sighed lightly. Soft footsteps echoed in the meadow and his eyes blearily fluttered open to see someone approach him. He watched the winged figure come closer and knew he was safe here in this meadow, “Glanni.” He was relieved.    
  
In that moment, Robbie didn’t really feel anything but the sensation of simply existing. He floated while grounded, a very strange feeling. Almost like he wasn't there at all.. A very young Glanni was talking as he stepped through the flowers and his voice sounded upset if somewhat far away. He was always upset but this time he sounded a little worried. “-Why did you even go into the darkened roots! You knew they were dangerous! I told you a hundred times to  _ never _ go  _ anywhere  _ with the others! They’re stronger than you, they can  _ survive  _ the roots,  _ unlike  _ you! ”    
  
Glanni was pacing angrily a few feet from him, his silver gray wings glittered gently in the sun, “What if _ Father _ heard about this? Did you even  _ think _ about what would happen if you fell? Because you FELL. What would have happened if you were caught by those damn  _ changelings _ ? They’d have torn you apa-”    
  
Robbie had tried to race through the forbidden part of the forest with their siblings. It was training that all of them had to go through if they wanted to be part of the Court, or at least that’s what they told him. Robbie wanted to be useful, to  be looked at with pride and respect. Robbie played absently with a blade of grass as he tiredly thought about it. The roots were too fast, too hungry, they ate away his magic faster than he could yell.    
  
“-If I hadn’t overheard those idiots you’d be _dead_! What did you expect to happen! Did you  _ even think??”  _ Glanni growled and Robbie flinched a bit as Glanni sat heavily beside him in the soothing flowers.    
  
He exhaled angrily, “I can’t always be there for you Robbie. You know I have enough trouble staying useful as it is. I’m older than you and more things are expected from me.. Just- Just don’t follow the others anymore. You’re not like them, You’re more human than the rest of us and- you’re- just stay out of the way okay Robbie?  _ Promise me. _ ”    
  
Robbie had shrunk down as low as he could as if the flowers could save him from his brother’s lecture. They were whispering so many secret things but he knew they’d keep everything they heard to themselves. This was Glanni’s meadow after all. Crafted from the space between two alder trees only Glanni and him could enter it. He was talented with his magic.. Unlike Robbie.    
  
“Robbie! Promise me!” Glanni was hovering over him now. His child face contorted with worry.    
  
“I-I promise.” His voice was weak but Glanni looked relieved all the same.    
  
“Good. Just Sleep now Robbie. The roots drained too much magic from you. You’re useless like this. Too much of a target.”    
  
Robbie was quiet for a moment before asking softly, “Would they kill me?”    
  
The silence presses down on him. Glanni wasn’t saying anything, He’s only half fae after all, maybe even less than Glanni and the others. He’s not good for much, especially like this. He hadn’t even grown his wings in yet. Robbie dug his small hands absently into the dirt as he waited.   
  
“Just sleep.  _ No one _ is going to kill you while  _ I’m  _ here.” Glanni growled the threat as if it alone could scare away any danger but Robbie was relieved. He sleepily watched his brother glare across the meadow towards the entrance, daring anyone to try and enter. 

  
Glanni’s face blurred slightly then and became unrecognizable, he grew larger and his face was less angry now. He was far away now, no longer beside him and walking towards him again. He doesn’t look like Glanni anymore but they’re the only two who could get into the meadow. He must have a glamour on, Robbie decided as he sleepily watched him walk closer. He was wearing so much blue..   
  
His brother was carrying something, a bowl and a cup. He waited quietly from his place on the ground among the soft flowers.    
  
“Robbie, what are you doing on the floor? ” He certainly didn’t sound like his brother but his brother was good at trickery after all.    
  
“Glanni? You forgot your Glamour.” Robbie reached out weakly to the figure who had paused in his approach, “I don’t feel well.” he whined. 

  
The man he was so sure was his brother carefully put the bowl down near him and sat beside Robbie on the ground before gently taking his raised hand, “glamour...." He looked almost confused for a moment, "It’s okay! I’ll make sure you get well again!” The man grinned.    
  
Robbie blinked slowly as he was pulled into a sitting position. He watched as the man picked the bowl back up with a chipper grin on his face, “I have soup for you. It’s not the kind you’d probably like but I’m sure it’ll be just as delicious! I was told that broth would be best so I had to leave out all the vegetables that were in it.”    
  
The warm bowl was placed into Robbie’s hands and he drank it slowly. It’s warm and tastes earthy. It tasted nothing like the food of the forest but he was too hungry to really want to question it. After a few small swallows Robbie lowered the bowl and watched the sunlight drift around the meadow hazily for a minute before looking back at his glamoured brother.   
  
“How-long-” Robbie swallows and winced at his scratchy throat, his voice barely a whisper, “How long have I been away from the others? I’ll fall behind if I’m gone too long..” He wavered slightly using all his strength to stay upright.   
  
“I’m sure you haven’t been gone too long. As long as you try really hard I’m sure you can catch up!” His brother had a strange expression that Robbie couldn’t place.. He rubbed at his eyes.    
“Okay.. if you’re sure.”  Robbie sighed and drank the rest of the soup.    
  
He tried to sink back down to the ground but he was stopped, “You’ll feel better if you sleep in the bed. Hold on.” Robbie was gently picked up and carried in his brother’s steady arms.    
  
He was starting to feel like this man wasn’t Glanni after all. He was too nice but Robbie was also too tired to really argue. He wasn’t trying to hurt Robbie and maybe Glanni was just in really deep cover and couldn’t stop for some reason. It wasn’t unheard of.. 

“I need to get moving, Father won’t be happy I stay away too long..” Robbie’s head snapped up suddenly and looked around a bit confused, “Glanni... where did the forest go?” He tightened his hold on the blue shirt in his confusion.   
  
“It’s okay Robbie. I'm certain your father won’t mind if you take time to get better. I’m sure he’d want what’s best for you.” He didn’t answer about the forest and Robbie was placed down on the bed gently.    
  
Robbie sleepily murmurs “That doesn’t sound like Father… Maybe one of the others is playing a trick.. Are you certain? You were always best at seeing through them…” Robbie looks up at his brother but he looks uncomfortable. Robbie was slowly unsure if he had even made sense to Glanni. He was tired again.   
  
“It’ll be alright, you should sleep Robbie. You'll feel better soon.” He avoided the question again but Robbie is too tired to really argue. Instead he reached out and held his brother’s hand. Glanni wouldn’t leave him alone as long as he still needed him, no matter how much he liked to complain otherwise...   
  


  
He woke up hazily aware of Sportacus cuddled close with him.    
With a lazy glance he noticed that he had Sportacus’ head cradled against his chest it and Sport was holding him around his waist. Their left hands were entwined between their bodies and it was embarrassing but he could appreciate this kind of wonderful vivid dream. One of the better one’s really but he could do without the scratchy throat.   
  
He feels too warm but he didn't want to take the chance of waking himself up from this soft dream to a cold lair.    
With a shallow breath he carefully touched Sportacus’ hair with the arm his head was resting on. His hair was really very nice. Honey brown and soft like feathers. Sportacus’ ears twitched slightly and his eyes drifted down to them, he wasn’t even wearing his hat. What a pleasant dream.   
  
Time felt like it had slowed to a crawl. He was in the blimp but it wasn’t rocking like it usually would  so he was sure it was a dream. Sportacus’ eyes were moving slightly in the darkness and his own started to flutter closed. He shouldn’t be tired in a dream but it’s been such a nice dream that he doesn’t really want to start questioning it and make it unravel.    
  
If it unraveled now.. He’d be sad to lose even a moment of this.     
He curled up closer to Sportacus but his back cracked and popped with the movement. He winced as pain webbed its way across his shoulders and down his spine. It didn’t hurt too badly so he ignored it in favour of focusing on the warmth surrounding him. With a small exhaled breath Robbie placed his head softly on top of Sportacus’ and let himself succumb to the quietness of sleep.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [LetsRevItUp](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/) Made another [LOVELY DRAWING](http://letsrevitup.tumblr.com/post/155521605590/another-drawing-for-skyshimmers-fanfic-i-cant) for this fic!! It's right here and I love it!! It is now canon that Glanni and Robbie wore those outfits in the forest! Yeye!
> 
> My friend [Ashayam-Faiktra](Ashayam-Faiktra.tumblr.com) helped me figure out how to start the chapter! Thank you so much! 
> 
> So. I meant to like actually write more conversation and have the story move forwards but the story decided it wanted to have some backstory in it instead. I worked out the entirety of Robbie's backstory for this fic like a few days ago and had to consider how i was going to work it in lol. I now have a proper outline for at least two more chapters and we'll see where that takes us.
> 
> Also as much as I like one chapter being the sick chapter it just didn't feel real to me to just jump back into health right away. So He's gonna slowly get better? I guess?? I dunno. 
> 
> I've never taken a story this far before. I'm in uncharted territory.. Haha Maybe if I get too lost Sportacus will save the day and figure out the way back to a proper ending! hhaha, but anyway. I guess I'll just focus on telling the story and see if that works. 
> 
> SO Tell me what you thought of this chapter Please and Thank you!


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